Giggle Soup

I thought up this recipe last night when I spotted the Acini de Pepe in the pasta aisle. They are just teeny tiny little pasta balls. My boys love pasta so I decided to try making something fun and healthy for lunch today. I also named it Giggle soup to convince them that their tummies will giggle when they put the little balls in there. Cute, huh?

Giggle Soup
2 1/2 cups water
2 chicken bouillion cubes
1/4 cup frozen mixed veggies (more or less depending on what you like)
1 cup Acini de Pepe

Boil water with bouillion cubes to dissolve. Then add pasta and veggies to boiling water. Lower heat to simmer. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Almost all the liquid will be absorbed.

My boys LOVED it! And we had a really fun lunch. Enjoy!

Days of Grace and Poppop

I have lots of happy stuff to share for my Days of Grace list. I even have some pictures. Lets start with......

- Homemade Vegetable Soup.....YUM!

Everything you see in this bowl was hand grown and hand picked out of my Mother in Laws garden. Even the beef came from a cow raised on her farm. Did I ever mention how MUCH I LOVE THIS WOMAN?!?!

-A nice visit with Poppop. Ok, not so much nice, but I cant seem to come up with a better word. I was very happy to see him, but he was having a very bad mental day. he was slow and confused. He knew who we were but he just didn't have the energy for conversation. I did however get him to perk up long enough to take a few pics of him with J and R.



- Next is for EM.....check this baby out....Tastykake Mint Chocolate Pie. I haven't tried it yet but I'm hoping it doesn't turn out like that Awful Eggnog pie. They had a real winner with the Chocolate Lovers Pie....how bad could adding a little mint be, right? -C is here. Yay! It is our weekend, and even though he is going to be busy, he is still here. Where I can see him. Hug him. Enjoy knowing he is near me. After dinner he even played 3 games of Pictureka with me, J and R. Oh! and he baked cookies too. I had made the dough earlier and he scooped it and baked it for me. God Bless him!!

-When I am afraid, I will trust you. Psalm 56:3

Ok, Im off to watch a movie with Hubby.....then head to bed. I didn't get a nap today and I am very tired. Good night!

Babies come from.......Mexico?!?

J has a wild imagination. That is actually putting it mildly. He really adds alot of color and excitement to our lives. Today is no exception. This morning he was telling me about stuff he did while he was in Mexico. This puzzled me since he has never been to Mexico....and neither have I. I explained to him that he must be mistaken because he in fact has NEVER been to Mexico. The look on his face showed it all.....he looked at me with pity, because he obviously knew MORE than me. He explained that he lived in Mexico with God before Daddy and me decided we wanted to little boy. Hmmmmmm.....really?! I told him that no, he had come from my belly and we brought him home from the hospital (which was not even CLOSE to Mexico). He said "No way....nobody can grow inside another person....how would they get there?" I told him that God puts babies in mommies bellies, and that God can do anything.
He said "NO, I came from Mexico."

I am worried what kind of stories he will be telling next year when he starts kindergarten. I'm looking forward to lots of calls from the teacher. Wish me luck.

Friday fill in

Here is this weeks Friday Fill-in


And...here we go!

1. I'm PMS-ing, I'm hungry, I want chocolate!

2. Why do I have Charmin and not Cottonelle (because the puppy is cuter than the bears with TP stuck on there hineys)

3. How does this Life work, anyway?

4. Every morning, I put Kisses on my Family.

5. I consider myself lucky because Jesus Loves Me!

6. One day we’ll see a cure for Cancer and every other dreaded disease on earth.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going to see Poppop then watching a movie with Hubby, tomorrow my plans include seeing Amy and Jacob and Sunday, I want to go to Church and my MIL's!

Days of Grace

I'm a total slacker lately. Its been several days since I posted Days of Grace post. And I have a headache tonight so bear with me if my list stinks tonight....OK?

Today I found Grace in....

-The weather being nice enough for the boys to play outside, even for just a little bit.

-A son who loves to draw and tape pictures on the walls rather than just draw ON the walls.

-J asking if we could say an extra prayer tonight to thank Him for such a tasty dinner. (Bacon cheeseburger, carrots and french fries)

-Greys Anatomy being a rerun so I have extra time to talk on IM with Amy and Mom

-Reading this definition of Faith: A conviction that He CAN and a hope that He WILL.

A Clue! A Clue!

J decided to play Blues Clues today. And being the overly-creative child that he is....he couldnt play without real "clues". Which are of course Blue's paw prints. So now I have these beauties on my walls......along with our no Elephant signs. Who needs to spend money to decorate when you have a kid, right??

Oh BTW....I managed to convince my boys that their Moon Sand would be "happier" living in the sand box out back. Yippee!!!

Red Envelope

Have you heard about the Red Envelope Project?


I stumbled across it this morning at Real Mom, Real Life. It is such a wondeful idea and so easy. I copied the following from her blog....I hope she doesn't mind.

I got an email from a friend the other day asking to participate in something -- to protest, peacefully, the presidents stand on abortion. Or Voluntary Population Planning, as he puts it.

I believe we should respect the office of president and support him in his difficult job. But I don’t think that means we should sit idly by while things happen we don’t approve of.

So someone had a great idea of the RED ENVELOPE PROJECT. I hadn’t ever heard of it before, but I really like the idea. A simple, peaceful way to send a message.

Here is the email I received:
Get red envelopes or postcards and mail them on March 31st to the White House
When: March 31st, 2009
Get a red envelope. You can buy them at Kinkos, or at party supply stores.

On the front, address it to
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington , D.C. 20500

On the back, write the following message:

“This envelope represents one child who died because of an abortion.It is empty because the life that was taken is now unable to be a part of our world.”

We will mail the envelopes out March 31st, 2009. Put it in the mail, and send it. Then forward this event to every one of your friends who you think would send one too. I wish we could send 50 million red envelopes, one for every child who died [in the U.S.] before having a chance to live. It may seem that those who believe abortion is wrong are in a minority. It may seem like we have no voice and it's shameful to even bring it up. Let us show our President and the world that the voices of those of us who do not believe abortion is acceptable are not silent and must be heard. Together we can change the heart of The President and save the lives of millions of children.

So I want to call on my blogging buddies, friends and family to join this protest. Whether or not it works, I will feel better for trying.

Who I'd like to.....

I had this idea while I was doing the dishes. I was thinking about blogging (of course) and started to think about WHO I would like to actually meet. You know, we all read tons of blogs and see into everyones lives but arent there a few bloggers who really stick out. The ones you wish you were friends with in real life? I know I can think of a few....

Who I would love to hang out with on a Girls Night Out....Hands down it would have to be Kristina P and Deb. They crack me up. They are witty and fun. And if I didnt live so so so far away Im sure we would be besties in real life. (ok, maybe I am just delusional because we all know how popular they are and that neither one would want to spend real time with some PJ wearing stay at home mom....but this is my list, my fantasy so I say what happens.So there!)

Who I would love to have coffee and Tastykakes with....EM. I feel like we already know each other and I love her posts. She is like the smart sister I never had.

Who I would love to sit and talk about the Lord with.....Rebecca Jo, Sarah Mae, All the At the Well writers, Joan,
Gina , Randi Jo and.....well, this list could go on and on but I will stop here.

Who I would love to sit and talk boys with (or kids, cause some of you have daughters,lol)....Lisa, Kristin, Jillene, Young Momma, Anna , Mimi and Darcy....a nice little playdate sounds great, doesnt it? But with so many boys in the group someone is bound to get hurt or have the best time ever....maybe even both.

Who I would love to eat cookies with.....or share recipes with.....Pamela


Im sure there are some names that will pop up later and I will wish I had put them on here....but as of right now, I love my list. And I will pretend that you are all my "real" friends....'cause Im weird like that.

P.S. Amy and Tonya didnt make my list because they are friends in REAL life....and Im thankful to have them.

Awards to cheer up my grumpy week :-)

I have been chosen for a few new awards. They are given to me by Anna from Boogers, Bibs, Books and Bubbles and from Young Momma from Perfect Pen
. First we will start with the Friend Award which states "These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."
Next is the Honest Scrap award
I have to admit I have seen this one around and have been HOPING that someone would send it my way....so thank you Anna and Young Momma! This Award says....Honest Scrap award:

A) First list 10 honest things about yourself - and make it interesting, even if you have to dig deep!

B) Pass the award on to 7 bloggers that you feel embody the spirit of the Honest Scrap.
Last night I asked Hubby to help me come up with 10 things that were worth of sharing...and he fell flat. All he could say was how my toes are so short that they shouldnt be considered toes. Gee Thanks Honey! So Im on my own with this one....here it goes

1- I have no creativity. Yes, I make crafts but all the flower arrangements, swags, wreaths, quilts, etc that I have made all started off from ideas I swiped from someone else.
2- I hate mushrooms. It is a texture thing. I like mushroom flavored stuff, like cream of mushroom soup, mushroom gravy, etc but I wont eat mushrooms.
3- I would eat cookies, cake or ice cream in place of all meals if I could. Honestly I think I might lose weight that way since I would be skipping all those annoying meal calories.
4- Boogies freak me out. I dont want them near me ever. Snot too. Nothing that comes out of your nose should be allowed near me. And since my Hubby is a slightly-immature male (arent they all??) he loves to chase me with yucky boogies.
5- I am 37 year old and still live my life so I dont disappoint my parents. The thought of ever letting them down kills me. So I try not to, ever.
6- R has a stinky diaper right now but I am too busy blogging to change him....please dont call DYFS. I will change it when I finish, I promise.
7- I wish I was born with the housecleaning gene. But I wasnt....so the concept of a perfectly kept home eludes me.
8- I once ate an entire jar of Nutella with a spoon. It was a HUGE jar from a warehouse club store. And I finished it in less than 3 days. This is not on of my prouder moments.
9- I put everyone before myself. Then complain because I put everyone before myself. It is a vicious cycle.
10- I dread J starting kindergarten in the fall. Not because I will miss him, but because I will have to get up early every morning.

Moving right along......the next two awards are so cute....and two that I havent seen before, at least I dont remember seeing them. Here they are
and the rules for the Mommy award are:
1) Admit that ONE thing you feel awful about involving being a mom. Get it off your shoulders. Once you've written it down, you are NO LONGER allowed to feel bad. It's over with, it's in the past. Remember, you're a good mom!

2)To remind yourself that you ARE a good mom, list SEVEN things you love about your kids, you love doing with your kids, or that your kids love about you. These are the things to remind yourself of EVERY DAY that you rock!

3)Send this to FIVE other Moms of the Year that deserve forgiveness and a reminder that they, too, are the best moms they can be!!! Remember to send them a note to let them know you've selected them, and add a link to the person who nominated you!"

One thing that I feel awful about involving being a mom....that is actually an easy one. I feel awful and guilty about not being able to be as active with the boys as I would like to be. There are many times when they want me to play on the floor or run in the backyard and because of my illness I am not able to do it. I dont like to talk about it, so thats all I'm saying.

Now for 7 good love-filled things
-Cuddling. This is the best. We cuddle all the time. It can totally erase any bad stuff that happens in your day....or it can start the day off in a great way.

-bedtime prayers. The little ones are learning how to say them and they are just so darned cute!

-R says he loves when we make stuff (crafts)

-J says he loves playing with me

-I love that I have learned so much from each of my boys. And I believe they have each helped to make me a better person.

-I love how proud I am of C, and how he is turning into such a wonderful young man

-I love how my boys love me even after I overreact.

Now I get to pick 7 bloggers to share my new awards with....
Anna...you deserve the Sisterhood and Mommy awards (and the two you sent me but I cant do that)
Young Momma...same as with Anna, I cant send them back to you but I would if I could. You totally deserve them.
Tonya....How could I NOT think of you with these awards?!? You Rock.
Amy...you deserve all of these awards and more. But you gotta put them on your blog!
Rebecca Jo....you ALWAYS say the right things, exactly what I need to hear. your awesome!
Kristin....a great bloggy friend and great mom, and even has one on the way!
Mimi....another great bloggy friend who always says what I need to hear :-)

*and yes, now I am off to change that stinky diaper....just in case you were wondering.

Tuesday Tribute

Good morning Bloggy Friends....today I am shining the Tuesday Tribute spotlight on all of you. Yep. Its all good.
Six months ago my world was small. I had no idea of the fullfilling world of blogging. But as much as my housework has suffered, my mental state and happiness has flourished. And it is all because of you. You have supported me in tough times, you have laughed with me (and probably AT me too) and you have prayed for me. In these short few months that I have known you guys, you have shown me lots of love and comment affection. I do my best to repay all that love and attention, but even when I get busy with life....you still hang in there with me. You forgive me when I miss a few days of reading or commenting. So here's to you bloggy buddies! Today is ALL ABOUT YOU!!!!

Better day

Yesterday was rough. J really wore me down. I spent all day beating myself up for not knowing how to handle such a bad situation and for overreacting at the time. I was frustrated with him and myself. But in the end I do believe I did the right thing. In the midst of the temper tantrum I made him stay in the corner. After it was all done, I took away things that he now needs to "earn" back. He is THE most hard-headed, stubborn person I have ever known and that it really saying something. But no matter, I still love him more than I can ever explain. He is fine today. Actually he was fine yesterday, after the "episode". It was me that spent the day tied up in knots. So last night, after Hubby and R got home from my MIL's I took the opportunity to go up in my bedroom alone. I needed to read today's section of my Daily Bible. But before that I got down on my knees and prayed. I prayed that God would help me, fix me and make me whole. I didn't like feeling so broken inside and feeling like I did everything wrong. I prayed that he would help me to know what to do (or not do) the next time this situation happens and I prayed that he would help J to grow out of his stubborn temper tantrums. Then I asked him to speak to me. Amen. Want to know what happened next? I opened my bible and read this on the top of yesterdays page "Does Jesus have anything to say about dealing with difficult relatives? Is there an example of Jesus bringing peace to a painful family? Yes there is. His own...." Of course this continues but you get the idea. Isn't that awesome! God sent me the words I needed to read, right when I needed them. Thank you Jesus!

Today started out great. The weather is beautiful and the boys are playing. Actually we were all "dancing" after breakfast but then they wanted to head upstairs to play. I am heading to the kitchen to make spaghetti pie. I will bake one for dinner tonight and freeze 2 pans. I hope you all have a great day!!

*I am reading the Grace for the Moment Daily Bible by Max Lucado

I lose

I Love him.
I really love him more than words can express.
But he makes me feel like a complete failure, a loser, and he reminds me how I am not in control. Sigh....

I am talking about J, my 5 year old. As much as I like to pretend I am in charge and I make the rules. He seems to know how to override it all. I want to be in charge....I try to be in charge. But he fights it. Fights and wins. How did this happen? I raised one child already. And he never acted like this. He never had that strong willed stubbornness that made him fight. He is a good, well behaved teenager. But J, he is a whole different person. He will fight and never give up. NEVER. No matter what it costs him, he never backs down. So even thought he has no toys left in his room, no TV today, no games and no trip to Mommoms this afternoon....he still won. He still had the upper hand, he still fought and stuck to his guns. I never ever change his mind and get him to give in and behave. No, he isn't always like that. Most of the time he is an awesome, loving, caring child. But when he gets an idea in his head no one can change it. And he wont abandon his idea. He would rather lose everything forever than back down and do what he is told. How do you win with a child like this? How do you break through that stubbornness and teach him to let go and do the right thing?
So yes, in the end I won because he ended up being punished but it really doesn't seem to matter. He has no toys but is happy and content to spend his afternoon with an empty laundry basket. But this really isn't a win, because I didn't change him. I didn't get him to end the temper tantrum. The fight....the struggle. Will he remember this punishment next time? Hopefully, but probably not.

Happy Saturday

Last night was great. Amy came over and after the boys went to bed we watched Baby Mama and each had a glass of Sangria (not homemade, sorry). After the movie was off we spent lots of time talking. It was sooooo nice having adult conversation for a change.
This morning we got up and headed out to run errands. I had 2 containers of clothes to put in the donation bin and then we headed over to Walmart. We went way past the "list" but that is because they were having huge clearance sales in just about every department. Here are some of the deals we got.... I got this portable speakers for my MP3 player for $1.00
We looked at this game when we were Christmas shopping but it cost too much, and I'm so glad we waited. We got it today for $5.00. Hubby, the boys and me played a few games this afternoon and it is great. J won 2 games, but even R found some of the items.
This is a super cozy blanket we got for R. He LOVES Wall-E.
We also got some kitchen towels, storage bins, etc.....and it was all super cheap. Usually Walmart gets on my nerves but not today....Yay Walmart Clearance sales!

Now on to my Days of Grace.
Yesterday and Today I found Grace in.....

-Adult conversation

-Awesome Clearance Sales

-Hubby having the weekend off

-Napping with R

-For I am your provider and I meet all your needs
-Matthew 6:31-33

Happy Friday....GNI

Im taking the evening off to enjoy a Girls Night In with my friend Amy. I hope you all enjoy your Friday!!!

Does it get better that this??

I don't know if it can get better than this.....kids in bed, Hubby working until 10, talking with Amy and Mom on IM, and I have my feet up watching the best night of TV (Survivor, Greys Anatomy, ER). The ONLY thing to make it better would be if I had some chocolate to eat, or ice cream. Today wasnt half bad either. I did basically nothing, I didnt even finish my list from earlier. Oh well. I did however get a very long nap and a no-fuss dinner. Then curled up on the couch with my little ones and watched Madagascar 2. Today is a good day. Tomorrow is looking like it will be a good day too. I have no real plans except to take a shower. And Amy is coming over tomorrow night to drink Sangria and watch a movie. Girls Night In! I am counting down the hours until she gets here!

Ok, here is what I found Grace in today....

-a quiet day

-reading todays blog at Chats with an Old Lady

-No major temper tantrums today.....from either Hubby or J

-one day until my GNI....Amy, Sangria and Baby Mama

-Joshua 1:9 says,
"Haven't I commanded you? Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or discouraged for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Thursday morning

My hips and lower back are achy today. I'm a little disappointed because I was hoping to be feeling wonderful and tackle a huge amount of chores on my to-do list. But that isn't going to happen.....so instead of that list I am making a shorter list for today...here it is:
-laundry, especially since Hubby carried it all downstairs. the least I can do is put it in the washer and dryer. Then he can carry it back up tonight.
-dishes, otherwise we wont have anything to eat on today.
-Put the already folded laundry away, since it has been sitting in baskets in the Living room for 3 days now and we are all tired of walking around them.
-Nap, this is very necessary
-4 phone calls.....DONE! did that earlier.
-warm up leftovers for lunch and frozen meals for dinner. I know, I suck.
-watch tv with my feet up on the couch. What?! you don't think that's a chore??

OK, that's my list for today. Aside from reading blogs and talking on messenger that is all I plan to do ALL day. You know it is bad when I don't even go out to get the mail, I am waiting for Hubby to do it so I don't have to walk that far.

I hope you are all having a more productive day than I am....really, I do.

Days of Grace

Today has been a long day. And Im glad it is drawing to a close. Not that it was a bad day....just a long one. I had a doctors appointment this morning, where I got a cortisone shot in both hips. Then napped all afternoon (as usual) and then C came over for dinner. We talked about lots of old stuff and watched some funny stuff online. It was great. Then after the boys went to bed I got online and have been talking with Amy and Mom on instant messenger all night. We need to do this more often because I am having a blast!! So here is my list....

Today I found Grace in

-Finding out how to use the Conference feature of instant messenger so that I could spend the evening "talking" with two of my best buddies! Amy and Mom :-)

-Hip Shots

-Caramel Delites Girl Scout Cookies

- 2 days until GNO....or is it GNI (Girls night in, LOL)

-The doctor plan for some medicine changes (ok, not sure if that is good yet or not but I am trying to stay positive)

Good night everyone!!
And P.S. Mom and Amy helped write my list tonight<3

TT....Ice Cream Cone

Yet Another Jay and Deb Production.
It's Tuesday and that means I get to spotlight someone or something other than myself. And today I choose Ice cream Cones
How can you not love ice cream? Especially ice cream Cones? Not only are they a culinary blessing but they are also portion control at its best. Oh yes! Bring it on.....smooth, creamy and just enough crunch. I know, I know....your going to tell me how they are basically tasteless and my reply to that is Thank God! That way the full yummy taste of the ice cream itself can shine through.
Unless you get a waffle cone...and sometimes they come dipped in chocolate with Jimmies....*drool*

BEST.NEWS.EVER!!!!

I called our local township elementary school this morning to find out when Kindergarten registration will be held. We need to sign J up for school! Yay! I also called to see if the rumor I heard was true.....that the school will be starting a 4 year program next year. Boo! Lucky for me that rumor was false. That means I do NOT have to ship both my precious little ones off to school for the first time, in the same year. I will get to have one year home with just R. I had lots of one on one time with C then with J but not with R. This will be my chance and I am super-excited about it. And J is super-excited about starting school. We have to keep explaining that he still has a long wait, even though I know it will be here quicker than I would like it to be.

So anyhoo.....that's my good news. R and I will have a whole year before he has to go to school. I need that and so does he.

Days of Grace

Hubby was home today. I am very happy about that but it messes me up. I keep forgetting that it is Monday. I guess it isn't that important, but I almost missed Jon and Kate plus 8. But that wasn't the worst thing that happened today. Nope. I had a yucky dental appointment. One that left me sore and grumpy. Poor, Poor Denise.

OK, now that I got that out of my system lets talk about the things that I found Grace in today.....

- Watching the boys play in the backyard, giggling and having a great time.

- Hubby making dinner....Again.

- The beautiful Sunshine

- A 2 hour nap

- Look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. 2 Corinthians 4:18 (This means that God loves us no matter what we or other people perceive to be flaws)


I almost forgot..... I have pictures to share from Sunday night. C came over for dinner and hung out with us.....

This is C and J playing a Lego game

This is R, eating Cowtails (they are candy....honest!)
And speaking of R, we are so proud of him for sitting on the potty tonight. No, he didnt "do" anything but he still sat there waiting and hoping for something exciting to happen. That and we promised him a Happy Meal if he went on the potty. Please, oh please let this be a real start to potty training. Up until today he has fought us and we have been trying to wait for him to be ready. I just hope he is ready soon.

Sunday morning

Good morning! Today is a bright, sunny day. Makes you want to run outside and soak up the sun. Ok, maybe not. I am still in my jammies and just finished my decaf. Maybe later I will run outside. Or to my MIL's for lunch.

So has anyone else seen Fireproof? Hubby and I watched it last night. He huffed and puffed throughout the WHOLE movie. Laughing and making fun of it all. Yes, the acting was really bad but the message was good. He couldn't see past the bad acting. Oh well....I sit through his manly-movies so occasionally he needs to sit through a chick-flick, right?

I also want to know if anyone else has read "The Poisonwood Bible"? I am very close to finishing this book. It is very good, and very thought provoking. It also makes me feel guilty for complaining about all the luxuries I take for granted.

Ok, that is all the random thoughts I have for today....I need to get dressed, get the boys dressed, etc etc etc. Here is a scripture to think about today....

I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. Proverbs 8:17

New blog layout, Visit with Poppop and Days of Grace

First I want to send a HUGE Thank You to Judi at Doodlebug Designs.
.

Judi You ROCK! This layout is better than I could have hoped for....you took my ideas and made them better. I wouldnt change a thing....and I would recommend your services to anyone and everyone. So if your looking for a designer to create a new blog....look no further!

Second I need to Thank Titus 2 At The Well which is one of my favorite blogs and where I won my super blog makeover. I can't thank you enough!!

Third...lets talk about Poppop.
We went to visit him this afternoon and he was great. He was having a great mental day and was not confused about anything. I love days like today. It is such a blessing to catch him like he was today. We talked about the boys, about sports, about daily stuff and about Valentines Day. Earlier today J and I made molasses cookies (which are Poppop AND R's favorite cookie) and we took some in to him. We also gave him a Valentines Day balloon that he just LOVED. So he was a very happy man today....which makes me very happy. I love you Poppop!!!

On the way out of the nursing home I saw this sign....which is number one on my Days of Grace list.
.

2- My new blog....thanks again Judi and At the Well

3- A mailbox full of magazines and no bills.

4- Hubby buying cheesesteaks for dinner so I didnt have to cook.

5- It is almost bedtime (YAY!!!)

First Post Friday

OK Deb....I'm here for you. I will pull out my first (ok, actually my second) post so you can see if I have grown or anything in the last few months. While I envy your weekend alone (seriously, I wish I was there with you), I would like to think that I would spend a weekend alone doing something besides reading blogs. Aw crap....we all know better....that is EXACTLY what I would be doing. So here we go....this is a flash back to 4 or 5 months ago.

Monday, October 6, 2008
boardwalk fighting

ooohhhh ok, so I want to talk about "those" people and their embarrassing kids. You know who Im talking about....the ones with the kids who are loud and fight in public. No matter what the parents try to do, the kids really seem like they are running the show. We have all seen these kids while we were out shopping or at an amusement park or maybe on tv. Well, this past summer two of "those" kids were riding amusement rides at the Jersey Shore. Oh boy, that little one was spunky....he and his older brother were riding in the backseat of a kiddie boat and they were fighting over who would ring the bell. You would think that the bigger one would win the fight, but that little guy gave him a run for his money....he was screaming, hitting and pulling hair while his brother screamed and hit back. I just knew one of those little terrors were going to fall out of that boat. Everyone around the whole kiddie ride were watching these two to see how bad it was going to get...and did I mention their mom? She was screaming at the top of her lungs, desperate to get them to stop fighting but unable to reach them because they were floating on this kiddie boat ride. And the father, he was beside himself....totally embarrassed and mad beyond mad. People were pointing and laughing, all watching those boys with that "glad they're not my kids" look.....oh yeah, it was something to see.....and did I mention they were my beautiful, normally well-behaved boys? See, it can happen to any of us....and by the way, my DH is still mortified. Wish me luck getting him back to the Jersey Shore.



So there......how was it? Now go see Deb and show her your first post.

Look at what the mailman brought me....

I have been patiently waiting for this. It has been on order since December. Today was my lucky-lucky day. So what do you think? Hubby doesn't like it. Says it is too big.
Here is a side view. I was a little worried that it would be uncomfortable with the ring itself being thick, but it isn't. It is really, really comfortable. The kind that makes you want to wear it and stare at it all day.
It is a Tacori Iolite.....from QVC. What?! You didn't think we could afford a non-QVC Tacori, did you?
So tell me the truth.....like it? Hate it? Too big? Just right? Let me know what you think.
And please no comments about my chubby, short fingers that desperately need a manicure :-)

Days of Grace

I already posted about how today was a good day. Great day really. C came for dinner, then hung out with me in the family room and we talked for over a half hour. That is seriously the best half hour I have had in a long, long time. He is growing into such a great young man. And I am so proud of him. I think I told him that at least 3 or 4 times tonight. Enough times that he started to look annoyed, lol. The boys fell asleep faster than ever. Thank God for fresh air! Now I am sitting her watching Lost and then I plan to curl up and watch a chick-flick (thank you Amy!!!). Hubby is working overnight so I even get to stretch out on the bed tonight. (I dont have a king size bed like Kristina P.) I just hope and pray tomorrow is a good day too....I could get used to this.

Today I found grace in....

-Nice weather that allowed my little guys to play outside until they were exhausted.

-A wonderful surprise in my mailbox this morning....again, Thank you Amy!!

-A nice long talk with C.....I loved every second of it.

-Chocolate chips....that I plan to eat while I watch my movie

-An email saying my ring was shipped on monday!

My day in Pictures

Today has been great. Really, really great. I have been taking some pictures off and on today and wanted to share everything that has happened up to now. We started with some Valentines art. I cut hearts out of empty cereal boxes and let the boys paint them how ever they wanted. I even painted one (betcha cant guess which one I did, lol)

Then after lunch the boys went outside to play while I cleaned the kitchen and made a chocolate cake.

They played in the sandbox, rode tricycles, helped Daddy pick up sticks and leaves, colored the driveway with chalk, ran races and played hide and seek. Now they are both zoned out in front of the tv. I think they might be a little tired. Woo hoo. Now I am patiently waiting for C to get here. He is coming for dinner and to spend a few moments with us. Yay! Can today get any better?!?


This picture has nothing to do with today....it was actually from last night's dinner. I am only posting it here to make fun of my parents who live so far away that they cannot buy Scrapple. And they miss it....so I ate some for me and them. YUM!!!

Tuesday Tribute....My Dentist

Today is the day to shine the light on someone, other than myself. And right now I feel the need to shine it on my dentist. I HATE going to the dentist. Wait.....that isnt right. Im SCARED of the dentist. Scary, horrible stuff happens at the dentist. And this afternoon I have one of those scary, horrible appointments. But after my last visit my dentist offered a prescription to calm me down. Apparently he didnt enjoy me shaking so much that the chair was rocking. Anyhoo....I filled my prescription to get ready for todays visit and to my surprise he gave me 5mg Xanax pills. And told me to take 2 the night before, and 2 an hour before my visit (with more if I needed them). Wow! That is a heck of alot of Xanax. Yay! Maybe I wont shake out of fear when I go today.
Dr. Bell......you Rock!

Scary day around here

I spent most of the day doing something incredibly time consuming and fun. I recently won a blog makeover and have been going through tons of design ideas. Wow! I wish I had a fraction of the creativity that these designers have. Judi at Doodlebug Designs is my blog designer and so far it has been great working with her. She sent me a list of approved sites where I could pick designs. It is almost overwhelming, but so much fun too. I am not sure how long the process is, but I am really looking forward to my new improved blog!

Now on to the scary part......our local High School became the latest school to have a student bring a gun. Apparently he was the victim of bullying and felt this was his last resort. When the other student(Bully) went into the classroom he pulled the gun on him. Thank God no shots were fired and no one was injured. I'm sure the other teens in the room (and the teacher) must have panicked...I know I would have. My oldest, C, goes to a different school district because he is in a special Academy program. But we do have 3 nieces that go to the local High School....and none of them were near that classroom.

Today I found Grace in....

-No students shot at the local High School

-Hubby grilling steaks for dinner

-Another Sunny day

-Bedtime is almost here :-)

- He protects our lives and does not let us be defeated. Psalm 66:9

Sunday Day of Grace

This weekend was great...but I am glad it is almost over. I am tired. Really, really tired. Todays weather was awesome. The sun was shining and it was warm. I sure hope this weather holds on for a few more days. I will be glad to get back to my normal daily routine tomorrow. I never thought I would ever say that, lol

Today I found Grace in:

- The sunshine!

- Being around family all afternoon

- Quietly playing little boys (I love PLAYDOUGH!!)

- Coffee Cake flavored Decaf Coffee

- Getting to sleep until 8am

What a weekend!

I am having an awesome weekend. It started with my FAB-U-LOUS Girls night out with Amy. And I am telling you that it was meant to be. Seriously. We went to Don Pablos at 6pm on a Friday night and didn't even have to wait for a table! How crazy is that? Dinner was awesome. Talking with Amy was the BEST. And we had lots of fun shopping in Target. Everything just seemed to fall in place perfectly. Even my hubby was on board and happy about my night out. How cool is that?!?

Today after breakfast we loaded the kiddies up in the minivan, turned on the DVD player and headed to Lancaster County, PA. We love it up there and go at least 3 times a year. Most of the time we go for a weekend or week, but once in awhile it is a day trip like today. Our first stop was Shady Maple Market where we bought a maple walnut pie, shoo fly pie, coffee cake flavored decaf coffee, smoked beef sticks, smoked cheddar cheese, Caffeine Free Mountain Dew (the only place in the world that I have ever found it.....I love MD but cant have the caffeine), kettle chips and a few other goodies. Then we ate lunch at the Shady Maple Smorgasbord.
Anyone who goes there will tell you how great the food is, and how HUGE of a selection. It is 300 foot long.....that's a lot of food to pick from. Plus 5 carving and grilling stations. We all waddled out of there with full bellies. After gorging ourselves we headed to the Rockvale outlets. I was looking to replace my small cookie scoop but couldn't find one. I did end up with a few new cookie cutters and a Pasta cooker for the camper.

Then we window shopped in a few stores, and then headed to the Hanes Vanity Fair store. I got 3 playtex bras for $14.99 each, plus a pack of undies.....and I had a $10 off coupon so it was like getting my undies for free....yay! We went into a few more stores and bought a few more things like these new train shirts for the boys.
Then headed to Maplehofer Dairy. We buy milk there because it is so fresh and so good. They milk the cows and bottle it right on the premises. Hubby was raised a dairy farmer and doesn't like store bought milk. He says it isn't as good.....but he loves Maplehofer milk.

Now we are home and I am exhausted after my two days out. But it was totally worth it.
How is your weekend going?

GNO with Amy

It was Girls Night Out tonight. Amy picked me up at 5:30 and we headed off to Don Pablos for some yummy Mexican food. We each got a Raspberry margarita and were surpised to see how BIG the glasses were. Wow! So much for having one small drink. (I am not a drinker and I dont think she does much drinking either)

We both had Enchildas....yum, yum, yum and then we shared a Chocolate Volcano for dessert. It was fabulous! We talked and talked and talked and had so much fun. We laughed and remembered old stuff. Talked about raising boys, divorces and everything else we could think of....and we watched a toddler at the next table "play" with his mommy's margarita glass. There was ice and a little bit of liquid at the bottom. And this child used a spoon and straw to stir and sip and play. I cannot fathom why they would let him do that? Am I being overprotective or weird?

Here is a picture of me and Amy (and our empty glasses). After dinner we went to Target and did a little shopping. Amy got a book and a new heating blanket. I got a few things for the boys (playdough, shirts and play mailboxes) and a box of goodies. We ended up getting home a few minutes before 10 and Hubby was half asleep on the couch. Now I cant wait to plan another night out with Amy.....it was great! Thank you Amy!!!

I think he will miss me.....

Poor J....I told the boys I was going out tonight and he broke down crying. Apparently he is going to miss me. Or he knows that Daddy is much stricter about bedtime than I am. Now I'm starting to wonder if J will hate me later in life for taking pictures of him crying and posting them on the Internet. Aw.....he is young, he will get over it.

Now this is me.....very happy and excited about my GNO. We had planned to go to the mall, grab something to eat and just hang out. But my body says different. I am not feeling up to walking the mall so now we are going to dinner and maybe a movie. I say maybe because we might just end up talking at the restaurant all night. Either way I think this will be the best night I have had in awhile (since my rare datenight with hubby).

Friday fill in

1. Please don't tell on me.

2. Can you Let me sleep in the morning?

3. The color Purple makes me want to smile!

4. I have a craving for Chocolate (of course).

5. If my life had a pause button, I'd pause it now so my kids wont grow up.

6. Eyes are the best feature I have.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Girls Night Out with Amy, tomorrow my plans include Hubby being off work and Sunday, I want to go to church and my mother in laws!

Days of Grace

Today I found Grace in.....

-No sick kids. Yay!

-A wonderful pot of Baked Potato Soup (seriously AWESOME!!)

-A nice long talk with Val

-Looking forward to GNO with Amy!

-My doc said once the new medicine Savella is released that he will prescribe it for me. Pray it helps more than my current meds!!

Days of Grace

Thank you all so much for your prayers. J is feeling perfect today. Like he was never sick. And so far R seems fine too. The boys have been playing together all day and that allowed me to get some cleaning done. Then I overdid it and Im feeling crappy tonight. But I have a clean living room to look at while I am curled in a ball on the couch. Here is my Days of Grace list.....I hope you enjoy it :-)

- Happy, playing, sometimes fighting little boys......because that means they are healthy and well.
- Sticking to our list at Walmart. That almost a miracle.
- Food on the table and in the freezer. Nowadays that is something to be very, very thankful for.
- Prayers from all my bloggy friends
- Less than 48 hours until my Girls Night Out with Amy!!!

Good news!

So far so good. J is feeling much better. He made it all night with no throwing up. And his fever is gone. Thank you God! There is a small part of me who thinks it may not be over but for now I am enjoying the break. Thanks for all the prayers yesterday. I really appreciate them (so does J).
I realized something yesterday. Not only am I an emotional eater, but I am also an emotional baker. After making molasses cookies, banana bread and biscuits it dawned on me that baking calms me down. It wouldn't be so bad if I could bake and not eat the goodies, but it just doesn't work that way. Anyone want a snack? I have plenty to share.

And I wanted to share the recipe for the Pumpkin Cream Cheese muffins I made the other day.....and if anyone plans to make them I highly suggest storing them in the refrigerator. They are much tastier cold. YUM.

Puke

This is J.

J has a stomach virus.

J is puking....everywhere.

But J is also a glutton for punishement....since he insists on eating crackers and drinking juice. Which quickly results in more puke. Thankfully he has decided that he can puke in the bucket, rather than all over the rug, etc like he did earlier. No...I am not having fun. And for some reason I keep asking R if he is feeling ok. I dont know which is worse, having the both sick at the same time or for one to get sick after the first is feeling better. Neither situation looks good. Please say some prayers....I appreciate it.

BTW...Im skipping Tribute tuesday. and maybe even Days of Grace. It all depends on how the rest of today goes.

Oh....and I won a blog Makeover! How cool is that?!? Thanks to At the Well for picking me

Now Im back to my sicky......

Days of Grace....and muffins!

I made these Pumpkin Cream Cheese muffins yesterday afternoon. We didnt make it to Church again this week because J was running a fever. I kept him home all day with me while Hubby and R went to the farm. After they left J and I made pancakes for lunch, then rested, then played astronauts and then made muffins. J loves to help me in the kitchen....I think he will make a wonderful Hubby someday.

Thankfully today everyone seems to be feeling better. Well, except me...I have a headache. But I will take this headache over a fever and cough. So far today I have done dishes, laundry, put away clothes, sorted some old clothes to give away, played trains, made lunch and blogged. Whew! This afternoon I have a whole lot of nothing planned. I might pick up the living room and vacumm.....but I might also save those for tomorrow so I can spend the rest of the day with the boys and hubby (once he gets home from work).

On to my Days of Grace list for today:
- A coupon for pizza....so I dont have to make dinner tonight

-R napping quietly in his room

-At the Well.....one of my new favorite blogs

-A fun evening watching the Superbowl with Hubby and the boys

-"The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever " Isaiah 40:8

Gathering at the Well

Happy Monday! Today is a wonderful day. It is the first day of At the Well. Which is a wonderful new blog for women. This blog is rooted in Titus 2: 1-5 “But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed"
How can you go wrong when you try to live in this verse? You can't. It is how we all need to live, to help each other and try to be the best women we can be. Wives and mothers. I believe that happiness is wrapped up in this verse. So head on over to At the Well.....look around and check out all the upcoming topics. Then meet me at the Well.

Todays topic is:
When you read the Scripture found in Titus 2: 2-5, how do you see this playing out in your own life?
Being a SAHM has been a huge blessing for me. I think that this Scripture plays into my everyday life as I try to be the best mom, wife and woman that I can be.

What are your areas of strength? Of weakness? I believe my strength is the love I have for my children and husband. This is a love I never thought was possible. And it seems to grow everyday. My weakness....well, that would be in the homemaker area. I am good with cooking, baking, and things like that but I am totally lacking in the cleaning and organizing department. That is definitely something I need to work on.

If you could set some sort of goal in relation to this Scripture, what would it be? My goal is to work more towards the homemaking part....to get my house organized and under control.